Clandestine
by LatyfeSurLeSora
Summary: He had trained for a year for the sake of revenge. He hated Kai, that was what he had been telling himself through his training, and now he did, so why did it hurt to walk this path? Main pairing: Kai/Tala. Look inside for others. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Beyblade I would not be writing this.

A/N: My titles are all so not fitting, but hopefully the stories have made up for that in the past and will now. I honestly have no idea why I named this story Clandestine. I just love the word and it has been following me for a while now. I needed to name something Clandestine or I'd feel unfulfilled. Anyway here is my second Kai/Tala story. I hope you enjoy it, and without any more delays, I give you chapter 1.

Chapter 1:

"I heard he was a king himself once."

"Hn. Are you sure it's him?"

"Rei this is Kenny you're talking to, of course he's sure."

"Shut it Tyson."

"What's your beef with him anyway?"

"Who said anything about me having a beef with him?"

"Rei!"

"Tyson, shut up!"

"Hey! You don't have to shove me!"

"Guys cut it out, if Rei doesn't want to tell us, he doesn't have to. That's why he's the leader."

"Piss off Kenny." Rei and Tyson supplied together.

"Hey, you might want to turn your attention to the playground guys. He's here, and apparently the All Stars are giving him a 'welcome back' if you know what I mean."

"Hey Max. You serious? I thought the All Stars were above this shit." Rei didn't move from his spot on one of the desks in the classroom, but the situation was beginning to actually draw his interest.

"Completely serious. I think the kings might actually have sent them to do this now that I think about it." Max said looking out a window. There was a fight taking place on the playground, and he didn't want to miss it.

"That is definitely Tala." Tyson said, as he too watched.

"He's certainly not very powerful." Max said, only to blink.

On the playground was a redheaded figure, being beat on by four others. If anything could be said for the redhead, it was that he had amazing endurance, because after five minutes, he was still taking punches and kicks like they were nothing. After six minutes, the guy seemed to have had enough, he intercepted a kick, and without mercy, twisted his opponent's leg. There was a big chance that he had broken the other guy's leg Kenny noted, as the group watched.

It didn't take very long at all, before the other three All Stars were down for the count. One had been punched in the gut and headbutted, before being kicked aside, another now had a broken hand, and fractured skull, and the third had been knocked out by a blow to the side of the head, dragged away from his companions and thrown into the dumpster, left to rot there until someone found him.

Before he headed into the school, Tala looked up at the windows of the classroom Rei, Max, Tyson, and Kenny were watching the fight from, "You're next." He mouthed pointing at Rei and Max. Rei just ignored him, while Max moved away from the window. Tyson sighed, having taken notice of something, and muttered before going to his designated seat, "What are you wearing those for? That's like asking for Kai's punishment. Damn it Tala, what are you thinking?"

"Class today I'd like to introduce a new student, this is Ta-" The professor was cut off.

"I'm not new here, I actually transferred out for personal reasons, and now I'm back. If you don't know me from last year, I'm Tala Ivanov. Rei Kon, Max Tate, you saw what I did to the All Stars, if you didn't get me when I mouthed it to you outside, you're next. If any of you runts in this classroom have the balls for it, please, feel free to challenge me. At the least you'll be able to say you have guts, unlike these two losers."

"Are you trying to start something Tala?" Rei asked.

"I dunno, but if I am, do you think you can actually put up a fight, instead of talking or letting others make your decisions for you, or are you still the same pussy inside that you were last year?" Tala countered.

"You've improved, a year ago you would have thrown a punch by now." Rei said, causing Tala to smirk.

"I've held off my desire to rip out your innards for a year I think I can hold out for a little longer." Tala went over to Kenny thereafter, and pushed him off his chair.

"I'll be sitting here from now on. Anyone got a problem with that?" Nobody said anything, Kenny took a seat elsewhere, and the professor went back to teaching. Rei tossed a letter of challenge over to Tala who took out a list from his backpack and crossed out Rei's name. Max tossed a letter to Tala as well, though his just said he wanted to talk and where Tala should meet him if he chose to come.

When lunch hour rolled around, Tala went up to the roof and sat down. As expected, the entire school was talking about his fight with the All Stars. Max was supposed to meet him now, but the person that came most certainly was not max. This person had way too dark an aura to be Max. From the corner of his eye he could see someone, and then he saw three more. It was them, the ones known as the danger in the night.

"Sanguinex, Lupinex, Cenotaph, Zomb. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He supplied.

"It really is you." Zomb said, sounding rather displeased.

"I told Kai I'd be back. I was serious." Tala said.

"You do realize you're in over your head, don't you?" Cenotaph thought of the peace that had reigned at their school, and how it didn't need to be disturbed.

"Even if I am, I'm not turning back. I'll fight anyone that gets in my way." Tala glared at the four, and headed back into the school, descending the stairs, and letting his feet carry him elsewhere.

"He's different somehow." Sanguinex admonished, watching Tala disappear into the primary school building.

"What should we do?" Lupinex asked.

"The right thing would be to tell Kai about this, but I think it's better if we send someone to take care of him. We don't need to trouble Kai with something like this." Sanguinex said, before heading back inside.

Elsewhere were four other figures, observing everything. One had lilac hair, another was quite tall and blond, the third was extremely short and had indigo hair. The last had two-toned blue-gray hair, and was of normal height for his age. None of them said a word for the longest time. Not until the bell rang did they even so much as move. One sighed, another punched a hole through the wall behind him. The shortest among them jumped off the ladder he was on and left the room.

"What should we do?" The lilac haired asked.

"It's been way too quiet around here. For now we'll just sit back and watch." The blue-gray haired replied.

"You know he'll come, regardless of who we send after him, right?" The blond spoke up, before the blue-gray haired could leave.

"Right now he is simply filled with anger. Let's give him the means to calm down, before approaching him ourselves." The other said, letting the door slam on his way out.

The rest of the school day went by like any other. Students ending up in the infirmary for picking fights they couldn't handle, professors quitting left and right, while others tried in vain, to appease the small gangs their students had formed. It wasn't until the moment the sun set, that something worth talking about really happened.

An accidental meeting, between two fated people. Tala was on his way home after some studying and checking out some books at the school library. A raindrop fell, then an all out downpour started. Even through all of the rain, he could see the other person clearly.

"Kai Hiwatari." He said.

"It's been a while, Tala." The blue-gray haired said, covering them both with a large umbrella.

"You dare to act so friendly towards me?" Tala hissed back, but didn't move from his spot.

"Shut up and let me take you home. Think of it as a king protecting a pawn alright?" Kai simply wouldn't take no for an answer.

"What would you do if I threw a punch at you right now mighty king Hiwatari?" Tala countered, but began walking in sync with Kai.

"You're not three Tala." Kai said, letting silence reign once more.

It wasn't until they were at Tala's front door that Kai did something. Taking hold of one of Tala's wrists, he took the two rings on the redhead's ring finger, and went over to a sanitary sewer. Before Tala could stop him, Kai had thrown the rings in, and put the cover back. When Tala attempted to punch him, Kai was ready for it, catching the fist, and smirking at him.

"I was serious too you know. I'm gonna make you mine." He said, and caught Tala's other fist.

"I will never be yours." Tala hissed back, and kneed him in the face.

"That's just one of the things I love about you Tala, unlike everyone else, you fight my authority." Kai said, holding his fractured nose, and headed home.

A/N: Alright that's the end of that. I hope you enjoy it. I'll be updating periodically. Bye for now and please RNR!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Kai muttered, watching Tala from the roof. The redhead had the rings on, the ones he'd thrown into a sanitary sewer the evening before. Clenching his fists, Kai started back into the school. "I'll burn those rings if I have to." He thought aloud.

"Yo Tala," Rei called to the redhead, from the monkey bars on the playground.

"Under the train station at five. I know Rei." Tala said looking over, before heading into the school.

Classes went by quite quickly, and it wasn't until Tala finished washing his face in the bathroom during lunch hour, that trouble came. One by one ten students came in. First years he assumed, because they had thought him a 'good boy', before he grabbed one of them by the neck and squeezed until he fell unconscious. Dropping him he looked at the remaining nine and smirked.

"Come at me." He taunted.

"But only if you care to taste your insides." He added seriously.

"You bunch get out of here. He's far above your level." A voice he knew all too well rang from beyond the half open door.

"Oh right, I forgot this school's kings like peace. Too bad, I stopped being one of yours long ago." Tala gave a swift kick to one of the boys, the mirror behind the boy shattering from the velocity and force of the boy's contact with it.

"Peace, I hate that word." He hissed, and proceeded to leave.

"What exactly is it that you're so angry about? The fact that he's dead? That you couldn't save him?" Kai whispered to him, holding him tightly in a headlock.

"He didn't have to die Kai." Tala whispered, struggling, and pushed back until Kai hit something, and was forced to let go.

"Neither did Wyatt." Kai supplied, pinning him to a wall.

"Wyatt knew he couldn't win that fight. He should've given up." Tala bit back.

"Zeo could've done the same." Kai countered.

"Zeo did. You weren't there Kai. You never are when you should be." Tala shoved Kai with all the energy he had, and stormed out of the bathroom.

Kai nearly put the remaining boys in the bathroom in comatose states before he left. If Tala's words were true, someone owed him some answers. Kai cursed the name of the one he was going to see all the way there. Entering an abandoned warehouse he called out to him. "Garland get your ass over here, now!"

"You look happy." The silver haired said sarcastically, only to bring up his hands to defend himself, from an onslaught of attacks from Kai.

"Tell me something, did Zeo surrender during the fight when you had him cornered last year?" Kai was more angry than Garland had ever seen him.

"Well yeah, but you said it was for Wyatt. I thought you knew, that my guys and I went into that fight with every intention of killing that guy." Garland's answer ended Kai's attacks, but they also caused Kai to start cursing again, and punch the crates next to him.

"It's all over." Kai sighed out.

"What's going on?" Garland asked.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with. Do not make any moves unless I give the order. That goes for all of you." Kai said, then took his leave.

A book clapped shut, as Tala arrived at the agreed battle ground. Rei got up, pointed at the train passing overhead, and when it had gone, made the first move. For a while they were even, blocking and countering everything the other threw, then Rei jumped back and snapped his fingers. "I won't let you go any further." He declared, and Tala sighed. "Doesn't anyone know how to fight fair anymore?"

Thirty of them Tala counted, the same as he had been a year earlier, second years. There were also twenty who were mere ten year olds. That would be a problem, assuming he made it through the second years. He could never hurt them, that wasn't his kind of thing, and they seemed like a persistent bunch.

"Do you two really have to do this?" A voice drew both Tala and Rei's attention. It was Max, who was frowning at them. "You two used to be friends, why the sudden hatred?"

"None of you deserve to call yourselves my friends." Tala said, and glared at Rei. "Are we going to fight or what?"

"You know it." Rei replied, giving the signal to attack.

"You still can't fight your own battles I see." Tala said, before he was buried under bodies.

It didn't take much time for Tala to be trapped, forced to kneel before Rei, who kicked him over and over again. A particularly hard punch was delivered to the redhead's chest and he coughed up some blood, struggled to his feet, and started fighting back again. There was no way he could let it end here. Rei dodged everything, pushing Tala who staggered backwards from the force, only to be buried under more bodies.

All of it was so familiar to Tala. This situation was exactly the same. The difference was that now he wasn't the one watching after getting beaten half to death himself. Now it was Max in his place, but Max was faring better than he had when Zeo was being murdered. About five times Tala managed to get up and take a shot at Rei, but he was always back on the ground in seconds. He was bordering unconsciousness eventually, but still wouldn't stop getting back up.

"Surrender. I might just spare you." Rei teased. Tala just tried to hit him again.

"Rei, we've been friends for a long time. Longer than either one of us can remember. It's because we're friends that I'm doing this." Max said suddenly, before punching Rei in the gut, and spin kicking him in the head.

"That's so sweet of you Max. Too bad protecting a traitor makes you a traitor." Although Kai had told him not to make any moves unless he was ordered to Garland had come, and was straddling Max, beating on him mercilessly. He wouldn't kill him, he just needed to get the boy out of the equation. Tala should've known Rei would have reinforcements anyway.

"Rei, Garland, you will both be receiving your due punishments for this later. The rest of you, get out of here!" That was the last Tala heard, before passing out. Kai had come, but why?

Comfort was what Tala felt when he regained consciousness. He cracked an eye open after rolling over, and sure enough there was a blown out picture of him on the ceiling above. He knew where he was all too clearly. Rolling over again, he clutched the pillow softly, snuggling into it. He'd deal with Kai later. Before he fell asleep he heard a familiar laugh.

"Keep it up. I'd only ever be yours if you raped me Kai, and even then I probably still wouldn't feel a thing for you." He muttered, just before sleep claimed him.

Kai sighed. He loved Tala's attitude, but his words could stand to be a little less harsh. Every single time Tala had rejected him it felt like he'd been pierced in the heart with a knife, now was no different. Getting up he left the room, and traveled the distance in the mansion he lived in until he'd reached the main living room. Digging into his pockets he retrieved a gun, and the rings that he so badly wanted to dispose of.

"What happens now?" A figure asked him, from one of the couches.

"You'll need to burn the body." Kai replied.

"Kai, Tala's not me. It'll take more than seduction with him." The other said, getting up.

"I know Brooklyn. I don't intend to be nice about it." Kai stared into the raging flames of the fireplace, smirking.

"I'll call you when it's done." Brooklyn promised, heading for the hall.

"Get your ass back here!" Kai exclaimed, and he came back instantly.

Kai smiled a bit, and scooped him up bridal style. Tala was sleeping, he had disposed of the rings, and the body of the one he desperately needed out of the way would soon be nothing but ashes blowing in the wind, he could have some fun. Brooklyn didn't protest as Kai kissed him, letting the dual haired boy carry him through the mansion to one of the many guest rooms.

Clothes were quickly scattered about the room, revealing Brooklyn's marked reddish purple flesh. Kai grabbed a few toys from one of the nightstand drawers, along with a tube of lube, gave Brooklyn a smirk, and sprawled him out on the bed. One moan, and a plea for his cock rather than a toy, was all Kai had to hear to remember why he had claimed Brooklyn, and he took pleasure in teasing the younger boy until he was crying, before giving him what he wanted.

After two hours Brooklyn was falling asleep, as Kai whispered lullabies into his ear. Neither one of them wanted to move. Kai enjoyed the tightness of Brooklyn around his dick too much to want to move, and Brooklyn needed to feel like Kai would always need him, so he relished in their closeness, and wished for the lullabies to never cease, and for Kai to never withdraw from inside him.

"Promise me something?" He asked, resisting the need for sleep.

"I know. Don't worry Brooklyn, I promise. I will always need you." Kai was actually growing tired of having to make that promise eight months into their relationship, but he would deal with it.

He still needed Brooklyn, he would for a while yet. The boy was easy enough to manipulate, even helping him in capturing the one he wanted to replace him with. If Brooklyn believing he genuinely cared for him helped Kai then Kai would lead him on for as long as he needed to. When he had Tala it would all be worth it.

Half an hour later Brooklyn was sleeping and Kai went back to his room, showered, and got into his bed, practically attaching his nearly naked form to Tala's. Tala rolled over in his sleep, and Kai drew him as close as he could, draping a possessive arm over his waist. Kai had to force himself not to punch the headboard, when Tala sighed out the name of the person Kai wanted to make the redhead forget.

When breakfast time came around Tala was still sleeping so Kai reluctantly left the room, and went to eat. He couldn't enjoy it, not after hearing that name leave Tala's mouth during the night. He had to ask for seconds though after a phone call with Brooklyn, who had as always, gone to do as Kai ordered.

"Hiro is no longer an issue. Can I see you tomorrow when I get back?" His pet had kept his word, and wanted a reward of sorts, or perhaps just more reassurance.

"That's wonderful news. Yes, we'll do something special." He had said before hanging up.

"Send whoever you wish after him. Just make sure they fight fair. I will be watching and if you defy me it'll be your virgin asses I go after, got that?" Kai barked the order into the phone after placing a call to the headquarters of his school's kings. Kai wasn't a king though his job wasn't much different from that of the kings. He was a god. He gave orders, and others followed them. It was simple. The difference was he took orders from no-one while the kings took orders from him.

A collective 'yes' answered his order and he hung up grinning with satisfaction. Their submissive voices reminded Kai of a time when he wasn't considered a god. He was much younger then. Ten years old vs seventeen. Things were far different back then. In those days he was the one working his way to the top, not the one waiting for those who miraculously made it there and needed to be put in their place.

Back then Tala didn't harbor hatred towards him. They climbed the ranks together until they were legends to the rest of the student body. That was when Hiro came along. He went to a rival school, and although he shouldn't have Tala fell for him. Tala was fifteen back then. It was first love for him, and Tala did anything and everything for Hiro. Talk amongst the ones deemed gods began half a year into the relationship between Hiro and Tala.

For a while Kai was all for it. The idea was to merge the student body of both schools into one super gang. A combined force to rival the other six schools in the area. During a fight between some students from their school and some from Hiro's Kai's friend Wyatt had been killed, and that was when Kai decided shelter their school from the violence that would clearly rise if the idea went any further. Kai hadn't phrased what he'd actually wanted properly initiating a fight for vengeance that resulted in the death of one of Tala's friends.

It was because of that fight that Tala had transferred to Hiro's school vowing to come back for revenge. Kai had loved Tala since they were twelve years old, but when Hiro came along Tala was so happy that Kai suppressed his feelings and played the role of best friend. It wasn't like Tala didn't know Kai loved him, in fact he knew very well, but he was blindly in love with Hiro. In just a year the two had a fall out because of Tala's beloved, and Kai couldn't stand it.

He had gone to Brooklyn for what he couldn't have from Tala, if only because his hormones were constantly awake because he could never stop thinking of Tala and Tala had gone away. Transferred and gone to a martial arts master for training for the revenge he'd promised. Kai knew he had to get Hiro out of the way. For some reason he didn't feel a thing when he'd given Brooklyn the order to put a bullet through Hiro's head, and felt absolute happiness when he'd been told the guy's body was nothing more than ashes now and that he was not an issue anymore.

He need Tala, and would have him. Everyone around him that knew of his intentions thought he was insane for even wanting to try, but he knew Tala. He knew how to make him tick, he knew how to make him smile, he knew him. Tala would be his when they graduated he'd make sure of it. Brooklyn was the only one who didn't doubt him, and that was part of why he kept asking Kai to promise him that he'd always need him. Brooklyn was a perfect example of Kai's ability to get whatever he wanted. Eventually Kai had even managed to make Brooklyn fall in love with him.

Still even Brooklyn didn't understand it seemed. Brooklyn and Tala were two sides of the same coin, Tala for Hiro, and Brooklyn for Kai. Kai would have them both. If he still wanted Brooklyn he'd keep him. If not he'd dispose of him. It was just who he was. It was his nature to desire and take. Thus far no-one really challenged Kai's authority. Tala was still the only one who dared. Perhaps Tala knew, that he was the only one who could ever get away with it, and that was why he dared.

Kai spilled his drink, and that made him sigh. It was a bad omen. Further interference was coming his way. Sure enough the phone was ringing minutes later and his father was the one calling. Kai reminded himself never to get together with a woman again, and went to his room. Tala was awake, and watching Kai's drop down television. The mansion was familiar territory for Tala. He knew Kai's room like the back of his hand.

"How are you feeling?" He asked the object of his affection, ignoring the pressing matter he had to attend to for the moment, and joining him.

"Like making Rei feel twice this bad." Tala admitted bitterly, not looking at him, as he flipped through the channels.

"Notice anything missing?" Kai asked, not hiding the victorious tone that was practically sticking to the question.

"What did you do with them?" Tala countered, sounding rather tired.

"Burned them. He couldn't have kept that promise to you anyway. He's dead." Kai replied flatly.

"If you love me, why are you taking everything I love away from me?" Tala asked in turn.

"Zeo's death was for Wyatt. Murder for murder. Hiro was just in my way." Kai retorted, tilting Tala's chin and leaning in to kiss him.

The kiss was neither returned nor rejected. Kai withdrew after a few minutes of exploring Tala's mouth, and whispered against his lips seriously. "If you want revenge, keep fighting, until there's no-one left, but you, and me. As a murderer, I live my life on alert. I'm probably due for death anyway, with all that I've done. If by your hand, I'll gladly accept it, just grant me one wish, and love me beforehand." Kai made to get off the bed, but didn't get to move an inch before Tala's lips were on his.

Tala shared with him for a minute or so, a tango through their mouths, before attempting to leave it at that, causing Kai to pull grip his head tight and ravish his mouth, tongue worming about possessively, until Tala recovered from the shock and forced him to back out with his own, and bit his lip for good measure. Kai bit him back and retreated from the bed.

"I don't think you hate me, quite as much as you believe you do." He said nodding towards Tala's obviously erect penis, that was practically bursting through his boxers.

"Hn. You don't have the slightest clue how much I hate you Kai. This isn't for you." Tala touched himself, sighing out a moan. "You reminded me of Hiro just now is all, don't flatter yourself."

"Good luck with that if you're going to be screaming his name trying to get someone else to relieve you of it." Kai supplied in turn, and left.

Kai could hear the screams Tala was making as he relieved himself, and had to stop himself from going back in there and taking the redhead. There were strangled sobs and even some wailing. Tala needed him to stay away right now, he needed to grieve he reminded himself. Still he couldn't help smile as he left the mansion. Tala had initiated a kiss with him, no matter what his reasons were, the fact was he had done it. He had kissed Kai, and that, as far as Kai was concerned, was a start in the right direction.

A/N: Second chapter complete. Cleared up some if not all the questions you guys had. Hope you enjoy it. Reviews always welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Go backwards. I don't own beyblade, but I do own Keith.

A/N: Thanks very much to GabZ for reviewing this story. I missed your reviews! Carrotei and Sapphire-sama Dreamer thanks as well. A thanks to all the anonymous reviewers too and to everyone who added this to alert or favorited it. On with the story.

Chapter 3:

When Tala left Kai's mansion Kai had yet to return home, and Tala was glad he hadn't. Kai was making advances on him that Tala wanted to avoid. Kai wouldn't be a man much longer if he didn't back off. However, Kai was a spoiled rich brat who had everything he wanted, and what he didn't have that he desired, he was given without a second thought. His upbringing had made Kai hell bent on having any person he wanted, and thus far he hadn't failed to take anyone.

Upon opening the front door to his two story home, Tala was snapped out of his thoughts of Kai, by the sound of his mother's screams. It was quite the familiar sound to him. Every other day his father would beat his mother, accusing her of whoring herself for money. His mother never denied it, but she never admitted it to be true either. Like always neither one of his parents noticed when Tala entered the living.

"I'm home." He had said, but he was ignored.

With a sigh Tala turned and headed up the stairs. When his father finished with his mother there were only two places he would go, and in the last six months it seemed he preferred the second to the first. Locking himself in his room with his younger sisters, twins who were turning twelve in a few months, he waited to see what his father would do. His sisters clung to him in fear, waiting with him.

Tears were welled up in their eyes, and his own eyes so similar to their own were empty. If he showed them he was scared too, they'd panic. His sisters were innocents, he'd let them be hurt only in death, and even then he'd protect them if possible. When the footsteps became louder his sisters went into his bathroom and locked the door. Both of them knew what to do, after all the situation had repeated itself so many times.

Tala held a metal bat in his hands, waiting until the door was forced open. His sisters did whatever they could to keep themselves from screaming, until they heard the roar of the surround sound system, and heavy metal blared through the speakers set up all over the house. Down in the living room, for today at least, their mother had managed to drag herself to the entertainment system, turned it on, and upped the volume before passing out from the beating she'd taken.

Tala smiled a little at that. His father wouldn't notice his sisters now, too focused on reading Tala's lips as they fought to care. The door hit the wall with such force that Tala could swear it had been broken off its hinges. Tala circled his father, ready to strike him. The first time Tala's hands were shaking as he did so, but now his only fear was that his father wouldn't back down, and that he'd be too weak to actually fight him off. His father had no preference for genders. In his father's opinion if you had the holes for it, you were doable. He just wanted a good fuck, it didn't matter who or what.

"Tala, put it down." The man ordered softly.

"Why would I want to do that?" He countered, still circling him.

"I'm not drunk kiddo, not tonight." His father replied.

"So? You never came in here before unless you wanted to hurt someone. Why is today different?" Tala bit back.

"It isn't, but do you honestly think you stand a chance while I'm sober?" There was a laugh in his father's tone that Tala instantly hated, the man was underestimating him.

"Come at me, I'm not afraid of you Keith, and I never will be." He was done. Until now a part of Tala had excused his father's behavior, blaming it on the alcohol and the drugs. Tonight he found out it was just him. This man was no longer his father. He didn't need help, he simply needed death.

"You're way in over your head." Keith said to him, tightly gripping the length of the bat when Tala tried to hit him.

"We shall see. Bring it!" Tala got in a fighting stance, the bat having rolled out of reach after he was forced to drop it or risk his wrist being broken.

"That stance, I haven't seen that in years. How is Boris doing these days?" Keith also got into a fighting stance, the perfect counter to Tala's, that hadn't been missed by the teen, and it scared him a little.

"How do you know him?" Tala asked, changing stances, but Keith changed his as well.

"The current gods at the schools around here, your friend Kai's one of them isn't he?" Keith dropped his stance, but Tala wouldn't drop his.

"Yes, so?" He offered in response, watching the man carefully.

"Boris was a god at your school once, and I was a king. I guess you could say the peace your friend Kai is struggling to keep in check is thanks to the chaos we left behind. Surely you've seen the initials carved in the walls outside the arena." Keith let out a nostalgic sigh then, and Tala finally dropped his stance.

"You're the one. KV stands for Keith Valentine doesn't it?" The teen stepped back, and when Keith nodded he ran.

Tala knew that if he stayed and fought that battle he would lose. Keith knew every last move Tala would use better than Tala himself did, and the predatory look in the man's eyes left nothing to the imagination when considering what he was thinking. Just as Tala opened the front door to leave Keith's voice reached him.

"They're in your bathroom aren't they? Which one would you prefer kiddo? You or them?" He didn't have to hear anything more. Closing the door, he locked it, and sunk to the floor.

He was dragged up to the room his parents shared, and defiled on their bed. There had been tearing, and blood stained the sheets. Quite possibly the worst of it though was being deep-throated by the man. When it was all over, a bullet rang through the room. Tala almost thought he had been the one hit from how shaken he still was, but Keith was the one that hit the floor, and he looked towards the door.

His mother was there, a small gun in her shaking hands. His sisters came around in a few minutes, curiosity probably having gotten the better of them after so long. Keith got up, and although she was clearly afraid, his mother shot again, and again, until the gun was out of ammo. Keith bled out, and they watched. A perfectly synced sigh of relief escaped them. Tala was about to tell his mother to go burn the gun in the fireplace, but police sirens outside stopped him. He told his sisters to go and hide again.

The two had just locked the door of their parents bathroom, when the cops broke through the front door with their signature declaration to 'come out with your hands up' and his mother dropped the gun when they reached the hallway, putting her hands up just as they'd ordered. Tala passed out after that. He didn't have the strength to stay awake any longer, nor did he want to know what he would wake up to. He just wanted for it to all have been a horrible nightmare when he did wake.

Tala woke up to a hospital room, and a nurse taking his blood pressure. Life was a bitch. In a chair on the other side of the bed watching him with a faraway look was his aunt. His sisters were his immediate concern and he asked her about them the instant he had her attention. They were in school she had said, then she practically hugged the life out of him.

His mother was awaiting trial. According to her lawyer they could get her out, but bail was too expensive for anyone in Tala's family. His aunt and uncle were beating themselves up over it, and Tala's grandparents from both his mother and father's sides simply couldn't send enough. Keith's will was read and the bastard had left his company and all profits from it to the woman he was seeing behind his wife's back.

Tala found out that he had half brothers, six of them to be exact and a half sister on the way. The house was lost too, Keith had sold it without them ever noticing. That meant nothing to Tala, he didn't want to set foot in the house again to begin with. His mother had told him not to worry about her, to take care of his sisters. Tala couldn't leave her there.

She might lose the trial, but that was six months away. Six months that she could live freely, before hell took her away. The tears his mother shed when they denied her the right to see her daughters had been the trigger. He had one person he could go to for money, and despite not wanting anything to do with him, Tala had gone to his aunt's room and told her not to worry, took his cellphone out once back in the one his aunt and uncle had graciously provided him with, and called Kai.

"I never thought you'd call me again." Kai said, answering quickly after he'd seen the name flashing on his end.

"I need a favor." Tala retorted sounding hesitant.

"Do tell." Kai wouldn't deny him anything within his power.

"Well, I think I'd best tell you what happened first." Tala couldn't just ask him.

"Tala, you're the person I love the most. I know anything and everything about you and your life. Tomorrow I will go see your mother, I'll get her out, and get her the best lawyer I can. I'll see about getting you and your sisters a place to stay as well, you just take it easy for now." Kai was trying to show Tala now, just how much he cared.

"Love? To you I'm just another person on a Christmas list." Tala didn't believe him, at all.

"Far from it. I love you, I've been trying to prove that to you for years. Hiro is dead, we've had our spats because of dead friends, and you may very well hate me right now, but you can't hate me forever. These feelings I have for you are very real Tala. I won't let you ignore them anymore. I will make you mine." Kai shut his cellphone after that, and got out of bed.

It was two in the morning, but for Tala he'd do anything. He'd get some food in him, and get to work on solving Tala's family problem. When Kai arrived home that afternoon Brooklyn told him about how the school day had gone. Rei was in the hospital, Tala had beaten him until the Chinese teen was surviving on will alone. Rei couldn't even land a punch throughout the fight, and Tala had left a note near a puddle of Rei's blood.

"Thank you for everything, soon there will only be you and me." Kai read it to himself, then put the finely scripted, rose scented paper away in a golden box. No-one except Brooklyn knew of the box. Kai's most treasured possessions were inside it. Needless to say most of the things inside had some connection to Tala.

A/N: Chapter 3 over. I'm awake at 5:32am being yelled at but who cares right? I really enjoy writing this for some reason. I hope you enjoy reading and keep reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Don't own beyblade, but I do own Kirin and Konoha.

A/N: Just a thanks to all. Also this chapter explains where the story is taking place. Just have a look at where Max went for vacation and all should be clear. If you still don't have a clue by the end of the chapter I will tell in the other author's note. Enjoy.

Chapter 4:

"Tala, hey Tala. Hey! Snap the hell out of it." To the nagging, gradually increasing in volume voice all Tala responded with was grabbing the wrist of whoever was waving their hand in his face hard enough to break it.

"Tala it's just Kirin. Stop." It was his mother's voice that finally drew Tala from his thoughts.

"Sorry." He said, letting go of his sister's hand.

"Kirin, why don't you go help Konoha with her homework? I think your brother needs some mothering right now." Tala sighed watching his sister leave the room, and followed his mother to her room.

"Are you taking your medicine?" She asked.

"Not really." He replied after a few minutes.

"Tala that stuff isn't cheap. If you really appreciate the help Kai's given us then take your medication. You're not seeing the therapist either are you?" She hugged him when he refused to answer, sighing. "What do you want son? I know you're not a little kid anymore, but I still worry."

"Making it to graduation would be nice." He replied, and before she knew it he was at the door. "I'm fine mom, don't worry. I just have a lot on my mind."

In the confines of his bedroom Tala tried to finish his homework, but he couldn't focus. There were a few things bothering him at the moment that were more important than his homework. Christmas was fast approaching. Hell was waiting for him when the vacation ended. He had eight opponents left before the kings and he wasn't looking forward to dealing with them. Still Tala was more concerned with the holiday.

Kai had asked Tala to spend it with him. He would be alone and claimed it would be nice to have company especially Tala's. The redhead had declined instantly, but Kai insisted that he think about it. A series of kisses and some pleading had caused Tala to give in and agree to think about it. Almost four months had gone by and every meeting with Kai Tala had somehow ended up involving a kiss.

He hated to admit it, and he wouldn't tell anyone, but he was in love. Kai's kisses had driven him insane at this point. It took everything he had to keep the kisses short, demand Kai stop initiating them, and walk away. Kai never said anything about it, but the last few meetings between them Kai had stolen kisses from him in the first minute. That had forced Tala to give up a kiss in return. Kai knew that Tala would hate for anyone to go off and tell stories about him being a bad kisser and would never just leave one one-sided and he used it against the redhead constantly.

Every kiss was sweeter than the last, and Tala started to question his resolve to fight his way to the top. He really just wanted to give Kai what he wanted, and ask him to give Tala his position of king back, but something he couldn't place was keeping him from it. He just had a feeling that if he gave in Kai would hurt him. Opening the drawer of the nightstand next to his bed, he sighed, and took out a small bottle of pills.

His mother and Kai were mistaken if they believed he'd rely on medication and therapy to deal with the trauma of what had happened between him and his father. By the end of next year it wouldn't matter anymore. Nothing would. That was what the doctor had told him months ago. Tala hadn't asked what he had, simply asking how long he had left. He had sworn the man to secrecy thereafter.

The doctor's advice on his condition was to avoid medications. He had also told him to avoid stress, but one look at the name of the school Tala attended and the man had sighed and simply asked him to try not to overdo it. Tala was faring pretty well actually. Ever since his fight with Rei Max had taken it upon himself to handle all the fights he believed Tala didn't have to waste his time on. "Don't bother yourself with weaklings." Max had said when he'd asked about it.

Rei had reformed himself. It was going on a month and a half now since Rei and Max had declared themselves Tala's disciples. It was kind of annoying really. Tala never seemed to have a moment to himself at school and he had to tell them to back off whenever they offered to walk him home. They didn't know where he lived and if word got out that Kai was the one paying for the apartment he lived in it would lead to problems.

It wouldn't take a genius to figure it out once they'd seen the building. The place was filled with high class people, and the only person who could afford such a place at their school was Kai. The entire school knew Kai was after Tala now, but they didn't need any fuel for the rumors they kept spreading. There was some online poll about which one of them was seme on their school website.

People refused to go to the infirmary anymore because Kai had gone to see Tala there after one of his fights and the place had somehow been declared their playpen. Tons of unholy things were said to have taken place between them there. Tala was about to fall asleep when his ring-tone started up. It was Kai. It always was these days.

Sighing he answered the call. "I was just about to go to sleep Kai, what do you want?" He supplied tiredly. "Forgive me for wanting to hear your voice." The other retorted, sounding quite hurt. "Well you've heard it, now if you don't mind, I'm tired. Bye." He didn't wait for Kai to say anything, flipping the cellphone shut quickly after turning it off.

The cellphone soon lay forgotten next to him, along with his school books, as he hugged the pillow lightly, trying not to think about Kai for the moment. In truth the call had made him happy. However, thinking about the fate he now lived with, he figured it would be better if Kai never knew that he returned his feelings. He could feel his body growing weaker, and weaker, an invisible pressure pressing on him, and breathing becoming more and more difficult for him, before all turned to black.

"Tala, wake up. Come on, it's time for breakfast. Mom made your favorite." It was Konoha's voice that he heard as he regained consciousness.

"I'll be there in a bit." He supplied, thankful that his voice was normal.

He didn't want his sisters or mother to know of his illness unless they had to. He sat up smiling slightly, ignoring the crushing pain in his chest knowing it was temporary. His mother was trying to brighten his day. It was a sign that she was worried about him, and sometimes he would tell her what was wrong, but now he wouldn't be able to. If he could live normally until the day came, he'd be able to go in peace.

He showered, and got ready for school. Heading down to the kitchen with new resolve he sat down next to his mother, leaning his head on her shoulder, thanking her for the humongous stack of chocolate-chip pancakes, savoring the feel of her hugging him with one arm, and her delicious home-cooking. Now if only he could get his hands on some of his grandmothers soups he'd thought as he ate.

The school day was flying by. It seemed like it would be another boring day. The eight people Tala had left to fight before he needed to fight Brooklyn and Garland to get to Kai were all absent. They'd gone to see family, and others were just skipping school for the day or faking sick to stay home. Some of the teachers were gone as well. Brooklyn and Garland weren't around either he'd noticed.

Rei's flight to China had left around five in the morning, and Max was going to visit his father in Japan. Tyson and Kenny had left at the beginning of the week for the same destination. With Hiro dead Tala had taken it upon himself to protect Tyson Hiro's brother, and Kenny a good friend of theirs. Tyson still had no clue that it was Kai who'd given the order that led to his brother's death, but Tala figured he was better off not knowing. Kenny simply didn't need his innocence broken. It was a miracle the boy had it in tact after six years at their school.

Maybe Kenny's knowledge of what a normal school was like was why he was still so innocent. Or maybe just the fact that Kenny had always been under the protection of someone strong. First Hiro, now Tala, the boy never had to worry about being a victim of the violence around him. Wandering the mostly empty halls of the school Tala was pulled into the past. He remembered how much blood splatter had graced the walls in these halls when he was a child.

Kai and Tala were always together back then, wreaking havoc everywhere they went. Taking anything others had that they wanted for themselves, beating the weak and the strong alike until no-one could rival them. They gathered followers and overthrew the previous god of the school.

As the elder of the two Kai took over that position and Tala joined the kings until they'd graduated. Kai and Tala were still in middle school back then. Their third year of middle school had been hell, but they were so close that neither foresaw that two years later Tala would betray him by transferring to a rival school.

Brooklyn and Garland had transferred to their school from far across town that last year of middle school. They were new to this type of school, but they adjusted quickly. Garland was a natural born martial artist and Brooklyn was simply gifted. He didn't enjoy fighting, and he never started the fights, but by the end of the year Kai had deemed them kings.

The first year of high school was peaceful. There was no-one who could rival Kai or his three kings. Tala started seeing Hiro as a person rather than another god he had to show respect for during meetings. Talks of merging student bodies started half a year into their relationship. Wyatt was killed, and although he'd surrendered Zeo was also killed when Kai had sent in the kings. Tala was already striped of his title by then, and with Garland and Brooklyn fighting together he was easily defeated. He'd begged them not to do it, forced to watch until Zeo died.

Shaking his head clear of all thoughts Tala let his feet carry him until they were tired, where he ended up he would enter and rest. He couldn't wait until it was over. All of his afternoon classes would be nearly empty, he didn't have any friends there, and teaching his substitute teachers why they shouldn't mess with him wasn't appealing to him, not today.

He slid the door to the infirmary open and collapsed on a bed. The infirmary was quite possibly the nicest place in the entire school. Everything was up to date. Kai's family made sure that it would accommodate the students as nicely as possible. Curling up in the bed Tala let his eyes close and slipped into a pleasant sleep. He didn't hear the door slide open, or closed.

He didn't feel the hand wandering his body, nor did he hear the soft question that echoed lightly off the walls. "Tala, what are you hiding?" He simply wasn't alert enough to recognize that voice. Kai removed his hand from Tala's burning chest, ignoring the sensations that ran through him as his fingers touched the skin he wanted to kiss, suckle, bite, and mark so badly. Tala didn't stir as Kai cradled him in his arms, and carried him out of the infirmary.

When Kai tried to put him down Tala clung to him tightly, whimpering. Kai smiled at that, and sat down on his throne leaving the redhead where he wanted to be, safe in his arms. Tala called out his name at some point, and Kai's smile widened. There was love in that voice, he could hear it all too clearly. He shouldn't have done it, but he did. He placed his lips to Tala's, forced his tongue into the redhead's mouth, and explored the warm cavern.

When he pulled back Tala was staring at him without any expression at all, simply trying to decide on one. Kai tried to identify them all as they changed. First there was annoyance, then anger, sadness though Kai wondered briefly why that was, and then there was amusement. "What no kiss back?" He asked, pondering what was so amusing to his beloved.

"That was quite possibly the most tender kiss you've ever given me. Come here." The laugh Tala was trying to suppress was coming through clearly in his voice, but Kai ignored the desire to ask what was so amusing, and complied with his wishes kissing him again.

Tala took control of the kiss, his tongue doing all sorts of things in Kai's mouth. The elder could only call it artful. He let Tala do as he pleased, not fighting him for control, loving it when Tala kissed him and glad that it wasn't over before he could truly feel something from it. He didn't want to crave more any longer, he didn't want to wonder and he was overjoyed that Tala wasn't going to make him.

The kiss went from gentle and sweet to rough and bitter with the taste of blood when Tala bit his lips, and then turned skillfully passionate as Tala used their tongues to carve images of things they could be doing with their bodies someday. Kai had no issues with kissing him back the same way, and then a fight did start. Kai was fighting to pin Tala beneath him on the recliner that served as his throne, and Tala to do the same. Neither wanted to be the one dominated, but Kai wouldn't give in. He had wanted to take Tala for so long, and this was his chance.

Eventually Kai was fighting to keep the kiss going. If Tala told him no then it would classify as rape if he took him, even if Tala clearly desired him despite not desiring to be uke, and Kai couldn't have it any other way. He needed to take Tala. Kai was simply not an uke. Clothes were torn off and forgotten as they hit the floor, until both of them were naked, and Kai managed to force Tala beneath him. The kissing didn't stop for quite some time, and Tala couldn't speak after Kai had pulled away.

Even when his voice started to work again all Tala could do was moan as Kai licked, kissed, sucked, and bit his neck. Gradually Kai made Tala's skin a mix of pink, red, and purple from neck to toe, lingering on his beloved's chest a second time, affectionately and powerfully sucking on his nipples, Kai was like a baby feasting on breast milk. Returning to Tala's neck Kai nibbled enjoying Tala's moans. Tala cried out all of a sudden when their erections touched, and Kai felt the spark.

Tala wanted to be taken now as much as Kai wanted to take him. Kai got off of Tala, retreating from the recliner for but a minute to get some lubricant. In that minute Tala whimpered. He gritted his teeth to conceal his discomfort when Kai started to scissor his fingers inside him, obeying the elder's command to roll over with three fingers buried as deep inside him as they could go. It felt great. Tala wondered what it would feel like to do that with Kai's dick inside him, but before those thoughts could go very far he felt something else, Kai's tongue, probing his entrance. "Kai, oh god!"

Kai focused on one task after hearing that scream, driving Tala to orgasm with his tongue alone. It took time, and Kai almost gave in to Tala's wishes for more, but Tala's cum spanned the entire front of the recliner, sticking to Tala's body as he rolled over at Kai's command, and Kai knew it was all well worth the work. Tala was so beautiful. He kissed him fervently, stroking his balls. "Kai..." Tala called out his name as though ready to ask him something, but stopped.

"Hm..." Kai trailed kisses on him, going lower and lower until he reached Tala's once again erect penis, and in one simple motion deep-throated him.

Tala screamed so loud that Kai knew someone out there was going to have a field day when Christmas vacation was over. Tala closed his eyes and gripped Kai's head, telling him to make him cum, to swallow his very essence. Kai had no qualms with that complying instantly, enjoy how Tala refused to stay still and let him take his seed from him, sealing his throat around the quicksilver erection that was relentlessly being thrust into his mouth.

"Kai!" Yep, Tala had definitely just given someone something to talk about. Kai wouldn't have it any other way though, half smirking and half smiling at the other teen after he'd swallowed every last bit of his cum. Tala pulled him back up and kissed him, tasting himself, taking it upon himself to clean Kai's mouth, and demanded that Kai take him when he broke the sixteen minute kiss. Tala had been counting. Kai wondered how Tala could focus on something other than the kiss itself momentarily, before doing as he'd been told after lathering his cock with the lubricant.

Tala hissed and cursed as Kai hilted him, but rolled over a few times, causing Kai to laugh for some reason. "Think you can stay still long enough for me to fuck you for a while my little rollie-pollie?" He asked. Tala smirked, and drew closer to him until his mouth was at his ear, and allowed his tongue to bathe it before whispering in a nasty voice. "Why don't you just move, can't take the challenge?"

That did it. Before Tala could even finish rolling over again Kai was pounding into him mercilessly. He didn't care if he was hurting him or not. To tell Kai Hiwatari he couldn't take a challenge was taboo. Still Kai couldn't believe how good it felt to be inside of Tala while the younger was rolling over constantly.

It just made Tala's already tight ass feel that much greater to penetrate. He had orgasmed six times in three minutes because of it, and Tala wasn't getting any less tight. Kai wondered for just a second if Tala was always this virgin tight or if it had just been the last few months that had done it. About seventy orgasms later Tala finally settled down, letting Kai fuck him so fast, hard, and deep that both of them were sweating bullets, and the recliner was moving, almost bouncing off the floor.

Kai's hands were sticky with cum, but he kept pumping Tala's cock in time to his thrusts, until they both lost consciousness after one last unified orgasm. The elder barely managed to adjust them so he wouldn't collapse on the redhead, embracing him tightly, relishing in the tightness of the younger's sweet ass, Tala himself already out cold.

A/N: I'm satisfied with it. Are you? Also as promise if you couldn't figure it out the story takes place in America. In New York of course. Anyway I hope you enjoy. Bye for now.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Go backwards.

Chapter 5:

When Kai awoke Tala was gone. Another of those finely scripted, rose scented notes were left behind. Kai read it to himself and sighed, Tala had rejected his invitation to spend the holiday together. He attempted to call the redhead to discuss it, but the phone went straight to voice-mail. Kai decided to just let it be for once, figuring Tala would come around, and headed home. Tala himself didn't get home until quite late, having headed for the home of his doctor. He decided he wanted to know what it was that was killing him after all.

"We call it dice disorder. It causes the body to experience various symptoms of numerous disorders, ranging from ones that aren't cause for alarm, to ones that are severe. The symptoms are all temporary, but use of medications for them, results in adverse effects. Consider taking cough medicine, but your cough increasing, with dice disorder such is what will happen." There was a pause then. Tala gave the man a pressing look.

"Unfortunately, because we can do nothing about the symptoms, the normal effects of the symptoms will take their toll on the body of the victim, and eventually kill them. I told you before that you'd need rest, plenty of fluids, and maintenance of a healthy diet, if you wanted your body to fight this as long as it can, now you know why." His doctor didn't look at him with pity, the man was simply looking at him sadly.

"Is there truly nothing that can be done?" Tala asked, with a little hope in his voice.

"There is a surgery that we can perform, but the chances of it succeeding are only around 25 percent." The man replied, causing him to sigh.

"What would that surgery require?" He asked, averting his gaze, unable to stand the sad look that the man kept giving him.

"It's quite dangerous. It would require your body to be drained of all of its blood, and that blood be replaced. You'd be attached to a machine to keep the heart going strong, but even then 92 percent of the people who've undergone the surgery, have died either during the blood draining, or during the replacing of it." Again the man paused mid explanation. This didn't seem like something easy to speak of.

"That's probably because of the cleansing of the body, done before it is replaced with fresh blood. Many can not handle the cleansing well, so they are too weak to handle the replacing of blood." Tala took it all in, and realized his chances of survival were indeed very very low.

"Given that the people suffering from dice disorder are rarely over twenty one, and how you've always checked out quite well in physical examinations, I'd say you have a greater chance than most to survive the surgery, but as always the choice is up to the patient. Go home, and think it over. You know how to reach me." Thereafter Tala thanked the man for his time, and left in a taxi the man had generously called for him.

His mother and sisters were waiting for him, and the instant he'd made it through the door, he was nearly tackled to the floor by his sisters, and his mother cried a little, scolding him about calling, so they wouldn't have to worry. He apologized, hugging his mother tightly. After some time she calmed down, and he excused himself. She would later go into his room to find him fast asleep, and make a note to make him a big breakfast to compensate for the skipped dinner.

The next day would be hell for both Kai and Tala. Some of Tala's relatives were coming for the holiday, he'd be stuck sharing his room with two of his cousins, both of which he could not stand. His grandparents would be a plus, if only his grandmothers weren't at war over who cooked, and if his grandfathers could refrain from killing each other. Nearing seventy and still full of the spunk and energy of teenagers, the irony.

"I want to play!" One of Tala's younger cousins exclaimed, while his older cousins played his xbox360.

"Wait your turn brat. We only just started." Was thrown back at the poor little girl.

"Let her play, or I'll go lock the console somewhere, and you guys will all be screwed. It's a four player game you imbecile." Tala inputted, before things could get out of hand.

"Oh sure, because there was a time in our lives, when you could get through me before Tala, sure." His cousin simply put the small girl down, having been prepared to knock her up a little, and gave him a mocking look and smirk.

"We're not kids anymore, I've taken much stronger opponents than you, and survived without a scratch, but I'll humor you. Come on." Tala didn't even bother to guard himself, producing a counter attack when his cousin came at him, determined to knock him down a few pegs.

"Whoa!" His two little cousins exclaimed in surprise.

"I suggest you hook up your own console." Tala said, throwing his xbox360 out the window.

"How could you do that?" One of his older cousins asked.

"I can always get a new one." Tala replied, launching his controllers for the console out the window like shuriken.

"I don't even know you anymore man." The second of his older cousins said.

"You never did." Tala said, sitting down on his bed, and falling back.

"Can you teach me?" All of his cousins asked at once.

"This is going to be a long day." He muttered to himself, his annoyance replaced with hollowness. He just didn't care anymore.

Kai himself was stuck with a massive headache. He'd avoided the problem before him, for months, but here it stood. Blond, and perfectly curved, but slowly losing that perfect figure, to the baby inside. Demands were being made of him. To be with the girl, for the sake of the baby, their baby. To provide for them, for it. Kai was listening, but it was all going in one ear, and out the other.

"Kayla, I can't do anything more for you, than give you money for that baby. It will never lack anything, just don't ever tell me to acknowledge it as mine. I'll make sure you're well, just don't think of me as that baby's father, think of me as your benefactor. Hell think of me as charity for all I care, as long as it stays at me wiring money to an account for you and that baby." He tried to deal with it as he would any other situation like it, but she wasn't having it.

"Kai, this baby is as much yours as it is mine. You can't tell me you don't want your child, that's preposterous! I'm not telling you to give it your name, just come see it once in a while. It's not going to kill you." She was only half right, he did want his child, he just didn't want it to kill all the progress he'd made with Tala.

"You're right, I do want my child, but right now I just can't. Can't we come up with a different arrangement at another time?" He was nearly pleading with her.

"What happened? Did Tala finally get with you?" She asked.

Kai had told her when they met at a club, that he wasn't looking for a relationship, rather he was looking for a fun time, and a way to ease his loneliness. Brooklyn wasn't around at the time, off doing something for him instead, and he was overtaken by his urges, so he went out and found Kayla. They had talked about their lives. She had just come out of a bad relationship, he was waiting on Tala, and using Brooklyn to stay sane. She was the most beautiful, and most interesting girl present at the club, and he'd gone for it. Kai regretted that night so much now.

"I don't know, but it's better than it was. He's hiding something from me though, I think if I can figure that out we can finally be together." He replied honestly, hoping she'd take pity on him.

"Kai, I like you, you're a nice guy, so I'm going to be nice, and give you until the baby is born to get your relationship with Tala in order, and tell him about the baby. Tell him you were lonely, and that the condom broke, if he loves you he'll understand, after all it's not like I'm asking you to marry me. I just want you to be there for your child. I never had a father Kai, he died serving in the military months before I was born." Kayla took the pity on him that he so craved, and left without another word.

"Thank you Kayla, thank you so much." Kai took a few minutes to recover from his fear of everything crumbling, and called her, offering some of the most honest words of gratitude he'd ever spoken.

A/N: I'd make it longer, but I'm tired. I hope you enjoy it. See ya next update. Please RNR!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Go Backwards.

Chapter 6:

Tala was just trying to rest, but the fates seemed dead set against such a thing Christmas day. A knock on his bedroom door came for what felt like the billionth time. Tala banged his head against the headboard of his bed debating whether he should get up and beat the crap out of whoever was out in the hall. He didn't have to. The person boldly opened the door and stepped inside. Tala sat up ready to hurt the intruder, but he could do nothing except turn the lamp on his nightstand on and blink down at the figure clinging to him tightly.

"Hey! We told you that you couldn't come up here kid!" He heard his cousins yell from the doorway, and lifted a hand up in a dismissing fashion.

"Go get the first aid kit, now!" He ordered, shaking the person holding him.

"The rest of this war, they're bringing it to you." Tala knew that voice.

Taking the first aid kit from his cousin he proceeded to treat the wounded figure. "Don't concern yourself with me, you need to get to school. They're going to die if you don't hurry up." Tala stopped for the moment at that, and the other saw him tense. "Tala, you have to go, and you can't hesitate. Brooklyn and Garland, they're serious about this. They'll do whatever it takes, to keep you from reaching Kai." Tala was surprised, when he was pulled by his shirt until he was face to face with the other.

"I know you love him, I know your resolve is questionable right now, but each and every one of us, believes you can do this, that's why we fought for you, but we're just small fry. They even got Kenny. It doesn't matter how many they have to drag into this, they'll do it. If you don't go, you're going to have a lot more death on your conscience than just Zeo. Bryan and Spencer are waiting outside, as are the Majestics." The figure was struggling to stay awake, occasionally coughing up blood.

"Even the first years stood up for you and got their asses handed to them. Wake up! Go settle this!" Finally the hand gripping his shirt went weak, a final plea was ushered and then the person went still. "Ian..." Tala whispered and got down to treating his wounds.

There was so much blood, and broken along with fractured bones. Tala's cousins watched in silence, feeling that Tala was very far away from them all of a sudden. When he finished tending to Ian, Tala went over to his window and looked out. Sure enough Bryan and Spencer were there. Oliver, Enrique, and Robert were with them. Tala felt awful, and he was running a fever, but he ignored it all. He knew he had to go.

"This one's for all of you caught in the middle." He whispered as he got up from his bedside, finally looking away from Ian.

"He'll probably want to go after me when he gets up, tie him down if that happens. I'll be back." Tala came out of his bathroom, wearing the same kind of clothes Rei usually fought in, his hands covered with metal gauntlets.

"If you could get an ambulance to head over to my school that'd be great, my mom will give you the address." Tala left after that.

"I guess Ian did it." Bryan said, as Tala stopped in front of the five waiting for him.

"I'm serious, are you?" Tala retorted, his face devoid of all emotion.

"They already got Johnny, we're going in there with or without you." Robert declared.

"I'm the only one allowed to beat you within an inch of your life Tala, remember that." Oliver supplied.

"Someone has to avenge Ian." Spencer said, as the yo-yo in his hand came back up from the ground.

"They even brought students from the school you transferred to into this. I won't forgive that." Enrique said, spinning a double edged knife.

"We're going then." Tala said, opening the back door of a taxi cab.

"Don't die." He ordered seriously, before pushing the front doors of the school open.

Not two seconds after they'd entered a hord of knives came at them. Spencer deflected them all with his yo-yo, and they proceeded further in. The hall was filled with unconscious first years. When they turned the first corner Enrique ripped through the net that fell on them. Tala, Bryan, and Spencer looked at the second years from their school, all having bled out quite a bit, the floor deep red from it all.

"Stand down." Tala ordered the rival school's second years.

"We don't take orders from you anymore Tala." One of them retorted, twirling a baton with one hand, and a kunai in his other.

"Have some respect for your god! Hiro wouldn't want this, you know that!" Tala growled back, and kicked the baton out of his hand, snatching the kunai. "Leave." He said simply to the others, the majority of which were visibly shaking.

The five proceeded further in. They went up some floors and found more halls with unconscious bodies. The higher they went the more bodies, and eventually it was hard to determine what school the students were from. Tala was happy to find that at least the third years were brave enough to fight back. On the sixth floor they encountered a girl, one Tala recognized. Mariam. She and Max were going at it.

"Come on Maxie, you're gonna have to fight harder than that!" Mariam exclaimed kicking Max in the groin.

"Oliver, you take this one." Tala ordered before walking past the two. He was happy to see Max had managed to gain the upper hand. "I knew you'd come!" Max exclaimed happily at his retreating form. Tala simply raised his gauntlet covered fist and turned the corner.

Oliver looked down at the bodies and sighed. "You guys are terrible actors." He said, before stepping on the hand that attempted to pull him down and punching away the two guys that tried to tackle him. "You're messing with the big boys now. Don't underestimate the Majestics." He said, and heard someone behind him fall to the floor unconscious from the impact of his fist against their face.

On the seventh floor Enrique was told to stay behind. The students were all from a different school, but even Tala had no clue what school they came from. Enrique insisted that as the weakest he should handle it. Tala didn't want to leave him, because they didn't know what the enemy could do, but Enrique told him his battle was against Brooklyn and Garland.

On the eighth floor it was Spencer who stayed behind, and on the ninth Bryan. When Tala reached the top floor he was surprised to find Kenny and Tyson tied up, but the most surprising thing had to be finding Sanguinex, Lupinex, Cenotaph, and Zomb also tied up. Brooklyn was fighting someone, but Tala couldn't see who until Brooklyn turned around and hurled Rei in his direction with great force and velocity.

"You shouldn't have come." Rei said to him, before darkness claimed him.

Tala walked around Rei and barely had time to react before Johnny was hurled at him by Garland. "Glad you came, I'd have lost all respect for you if you hadn't." As his blood stained Tala's clothes, Johnny offered his last words, and then, finally, fainted. Tala took a few steps towards the tied up Kenny and Tyson, but just before he could reach them a cage fell from the ceiling. He was caught.

"You're as you should be. Caught like the rat you are." Garland said, bringing a knife to Tyson's throat.

"How much is this brat's life worth to you?" He asked.

"What do you want?" Tala hissed back.

"I want you to undergo that surgery you're so afraid to risk getting." Garland replied.

"How did you..." To say Tala was shocked would be an understatement.

"Never mind that. Everyone thinks you're so strong Tala, I merely want to see if you are." Garland smirked at him, a cruel smirk, pure evil.

"We've got the surgeon and money covered, just say the word." Brooklyn said, the only thing separating him and Tala being the iron bars of the cage.

"Tala you don't have to do this!" Tyson yelled.

"Of course I do. What kind of leader would I be if I let you be killed?" Tala simply glared at him, as seriously as he spoke.

"I mean it!" Tyson bit back, pulling a pocket knife from within Garland's chest. "I'm not that weak!" He added, breaking the ropes with will-power alone.

"In that case, allow me to say what I've been wanting to say for a while now." Tala smirked at Brooklyn. "You can't keep me caged with iron bars." He pulled the bars apart and stepped out, dealing a punch to the king's face, and a kick to his chest. "And on that note, I'm going to pay you two back for every last one of the people you brought into the middle of this." He said, promisingly.

A/N: Cliffy or no? I don't know but I'm stopping here. See ya next update.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Backtrack!

Chapter 7:

To say Tala had paid Brooklyn and Garland back was an understatement. Tala had beaten them both until they couldn't stand, kicked them all the way to the front doors of the school, let everyone they'd brought into the mess have a go at them, and then punched them both through the glass windows panes of the doors to the front yard, beating them some more, not giving a damn about the glass in their skulls and elsewhere on their bodies. Tala didn't stop until he heard the sirens of police cars and even then he bound and gagged them and threw them in the dumpster before telling everyone to scatter and heading home.

Unknown to Tala Kai was watching the entire time. After the police left and the ambulances collected the bodies of those hurt too badly Kai went to the dumpster and sighed as he looked at his kings. "You two are such a disgrace. I should be demoting you, but I'll let you keep your ranks, all you have to do is tell me what's up with Tala." He said, once he'd gotten them out. Brooklyn coughed up some blood and looked away from him, Garland simply started pulling glass shards out of his arms and legs muttering about death coming for Tala one way or another.

"He left this for you." Brooklyn said, handing Kai a note.

"I'm going home. If you haven't figured out what's wrong with Tala you're really stupid Kai." Garland said, and walked away.

"Soon you'll be my April Fool." Kai read Tala's note out loud and blinked.

"What the fuck is this supposed to mean?" He wondered.

"Even after everything you two have been through you couldn't make him yours. He's still coming for you Kai. He still wants vengeance." Brooklyn said, sounding extremely amused. Kai grabbed him by his shirt and punched him. Brooklyn staggered back and hit the brick wall behind him but he just laughed. "You're weak." He told Kai blocking a kick from the god. Kai stepped back and smirked at him then taunted him. Brooklyn wouldn't back away from that.

He struggled to his feet, as a headache came over him, and threw a punch. Kai caught his fist and delivered a roundhouse kick but Brooklyn caught his leg by the ankle and twisted and squeezed with all his might. Kai didn't even get a chance to blink before Brooklyn had flipped him onto the concrete and started crushing his ribs with the heel of his boot. "You merely lusted for me, and you're this weak. He'll destroy you Kai. Mark my words. You're going to lose." That said Brooklyn walked away, muttering about Tala's strength and a migraine.

Kai didn't move for a long time. He simply lay there wondering if what Brooklyn said was true. It started raining and the snow washed away. At one point Kai thanked the heavens for the rain because it washed away his tears. Kai didn't know why he was crying, but he couldn't stop the tears for some reason. He got up after some hours and let his feet carry him elsewhere. He ended up at Tala's front door. Dripping wet and freezing Kai knocked on the door.

Ironically Tala opened the door and blinked. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked. Kai didn't answer. Instead he closed the distance between them and embraced Tala tightly then kissed him. Tala didn't respond at first but in a very short span of time they were kissing passionately and Kai was crying again. Tala didn't understand, but he didn't really care enough to ask. All he could think about was that this might be the very last time they kissed.

Caught up in the moment article after article of clothing was discarded. A trail of clothes towards the bathroom where Tala turned on the hot water and he and Kai wrestled for dominance under the hot spray of the shower head and made love while concealed by the steam. Eventually they just lay in the tub the shower head still spraying scalding water on them as they held each other.

Tala was still buried deep inside of Kai and Kai sighed mentally in realization. Brooklyn was absolutely right. Kai's lust for Brooklyn made him weak against him. If Brooklyn had bested him so easily what chance did Kai have against Tala whom he loved more than anything and anyone in the world...the fight hadn't started yet, but Tala had already won. Kai whispered a question into Tala's ear, what Tala's note meant. Tala answered his question in a whisper to his ear, Kai was in the palm of his hand and he'd crush him like the fool he was. Kai started to cry again.

"I don't want to fight you." He said seriously.

"Then don't. I'd kick your ass regardless. You've caused me so much pain Kai. We're not nearly even yet." Tala retorted, putting a bathrobe on. He left and came back with some clothes for Kai a few minutes later. They were nearly the same size. Kai took the clothes and quickly looked away from him. He was still crying and he hated the look on Tala's face when he'd noticed it.

"If I'd known you were this weak I would've found you and beaten you to a pulp my first day back. Some god you are." Tala couldn't help saying something about how pathetic Kai was at the moment. He couldn't believe it was someone as weak as Kai that had killed Hiro.

"I don't care about that stupid rank! I don't care about power! All I've ever wanted was for you to love me! If loving you makes me weak I'll stay weak forever because even if it was all a game to you it meant the world to me! If you want revenge so badly take it! It won't bring Hiro back from the dead and it won't ease the pain you felt when you witnessed Zeo's death! Revenge never does anything! It'll only spawn new hate and new revenge!" Kai snapped, delivering a harsh slap to Tala's cheek and proceeding to get dressed. His clothes were still damp but he didn't care.

He opened the bathroom door not giving a damn that he'd probably woken everyone in the house and left. The front door slammed behind him hard enough to be heard through the whole house and Tala not wanting to deal with anyone at the moment locked himself in the bathroom and hugged his knees to his chest leaning back against the door.

It would only hurt worse if he told Kai the truth, was what he told himself, that if he told Kai he loved him back the pain of his death would be far more devastating than if he had simply kept it a secret. It didn't stop it from hurting though. A part of him wanted Kai to know the truth, but he wouldn't make Kai suffer any more than he had to.

Not ten minutes from Tala's house Kai was still crying like a child and due to his tears his vision was blurry. Kai never noticed he was running through traffic instead of on the sidewalk and therefore the impact of the truck that hit him didn't even phase him. Kai simply saw black. Back home Tala was pulled from his thoughts by excessive banging on the bathroom door. Annoyed he got up and opened the door.

His mother said something and he registered it but at the same time didn't. She couldn't be telling the truth. Kai couldn't have been stupid enough to get himself totaled by a truck. He couldn't die before Tala. At least Tala had an excuse to die. Still his mind quickly filled with guilty thoughts and his heart began to beat violently against his chest. Tala thought it would burst. One panic attack later Tala fell still and saw black.

A/N: Things just got really bad didn't they? Read and review. I will see you soon for the next update hopefully.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't feel like saying it again, but please, go backwards.

Chapter 8:

Her son was deathly pale, an oxygen mask on his face, various needles in his hands from medical assistance meant to keep him alive. She was held back as a medical team took him away quickly. She had refused to leave his side and he wasn't breathing properly. That had happened three hours ago. She was sitting in the waiting room with an iced coffee in hand, sipping it slowly, unable to stop shaking.

"Mrs. Ivanov," A nurse came into the waiting room and called out to her.

"Is my son okay?" She inquired, nearly losing her grip on her drink.

"Dr. Gunji has asked that you calm yourself as best you can, and then come to his office." The nurse told her, avoiding eye contact. She had children too, she knew this was a trying time for the other woman.

In twenty minutes Tala's mother finally found the strength to walk to the office of her son's doctor. She nearly fell down before she was seated, looking at the man with a look that demanded he hold nothing back. She had suspicions of what was wrong with her son, and she hoped with everything in her being that she was mistaken. The doctor poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of her, then went to sit across form her, and kept his eyes to Tala's medical chart, heaving a heavy sigh before speaking.

"There is a very real chance your son is in danger of dying. His illness is quickly getting the best of him. There is a chance to save him, but if we do not perform the surgery now it will be too late. He is already weaker than he should be to go through it, but he still has a chance as he has always shown amazing endurance in the past. This is no easy decision to make, but time is of the essence. He is comatose now, the decision is up to you as he is underage. Please keep in mind, he did not want to go through it, which is why we are here now. I will need your decision by tomorrow morning."

"What does he have?" She asked, ignoring the decision making for the moment.

"Dice disorder. It hadn't made sense to me before, but he has lived most of his childhood with the first stage of the disorder. He swore me to secrecy when I told him about it. Given he is comatose though a loop hole in our agreement has allowed me to tell you and have you make the decision for him." He explained.

"That's hereditary on his father's side. No-one has survived it. I'd like to think about it." She said, sounding rather miserable.

"Take your time." He said, understanding her plight.

Tala's mother didn't think they'd allow her to see him, but she asked anyway. Even if out of pity they agreed to let her in, warning her not to disturb her or the patient he shared a room with. It didn't take her long to notice that it was Tala's friend Kai on the other bed. The boy who had been the cause of her son's panic attack before all turned grim. She wasn't blind to their love for each other, and she understood her son's actions.

Sometimes leaving a bad impression was better than leaving a good one. She pulled a chair between the beds, and took their hands, the ones not attached to anything, relieved that the needles in Tala's hand were gone. That had to mean something had gone right with him after all. Praying for their survival and happiness she linked their hands and she could swear she felt a shock.

From the doorway she heard a laugh and turned her head. She came face to face with a young woman. She had a slightly belly, it wasn't hard to tell she was pregnant. For a good while all they did was stare at each other, then the other woman entered the room, pulling a chair over to Kai's other beside. She placed a necklace with a cross on it around his neck and smiled sadly.

"Is he gonna be alright?" She inquired, nodding towards Tala.

"Which one of them is the father of the child you carry?" Tala's mother asked in turn instead.

"Kai. Tala is however, Kai's happiness. I wish for them to be together for a long, long time. I've no place in Kai's heart, I've always known that, and I don't want him to feel obligated to me. I just want him to be there for his child. I never had a father, because he died serving in the military before I was born. I don't want that for my own child. Put this on Tala, I hope he'll be up and about soon. If he's half as tough as Kai made him out to be, he'll live." The girl handed Tala's mother a necklace just like the one she'd placed around Kai's neck, and left without so much as giving her name.

"It'll take more than toughness to live through that surgery, but maybe, just maybe, you'll be strong enough." A decade worth of memories flashed before her eyes, Tala had always been a fighter. He would fight this illness. He would be strong enough to live. She wanted to believe that, but Tala's mother was weak, so to her, forcing him to undergo the surgery, felt like deliberately pushing him to his death.

"Decisions, decisions. Feeling like a murderer?" She didn't even bother to look at her mother.

"What am I supposed to do mom? I can't force my baby into undergoing a surgery that could easily kill him, but if I don't I'll never know if he could have still been here ten years from now." She sounded so lost, needed guidance, and didn't even try to will away the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"You have faith in him, and the medical staff, and pray to God that he'll be able to call you mom again. That is all you can do, because if you don't make him go through it, you're no better than a murderer. If you hold him back from the slightest chance for his survival, you may as well take a knife and slit his throat right now, because he'll be dead in the end either way. With the surgery there is at least a slight chance." Her mother's words were far from what she needed to hear.

"The choice is yours, but I'll never forgive you if my grandson is eaten up by his illness because you were too chicken to have some fucking faith." The curse and insult her mother threw at her stung.

"Get out of here. Please, just leave me alone." She begged, as she sobbed.

"You're pathetic." Her mother said coldly, but left nonetheless.

Sixteen hours...sixteen miserable, pacing, and crying hours passed, before Dr. Gunji came out of the surgery ward. He handed Tala's chart to a nurse telling her to put it in the case on the door to the room he'd been in before, and then finally directed his attention to Tala's family, approaching the waiting area with somewhat hesitant steps.

Tala's mother, grandparents from both sides, aunts, Konoha and Kirin had all assembled. All in one motion Konoha and Kirin turned off their hand-held games, Tala's grandparents looked up, his aunts stopped pacing, and his mother stopped chanting prayers. "How is he?" They chorused.

A/N: Hmm. This is a short chapter, but for once I found a good cliffhanger. I hope you guys don't hate me for it but I am stopping here. Please read and review and I will see you when chapter 9 in written.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Backtracking is good.

Chapter 9:

"I'm happy to inform you that Tala has survived the surgery with flying colors, however...you have my sympathies, Tala has fallen into a coma. He could wake tomorrow or twenty years from now, there's no way to know for sure." Dr. Gunji let them all take it in before declaring they could see him one at a time, and retired to his office.

When Tala's mother went to see him she found a most bizarre scene waiting for her. Kai was trying to get out of the wheelchair he was in, and get onto Tala's bed. It didn't feel like a good time to go inside so she observed. Kai managed to get on the bed, and straddled her son's waist. He put his hands around her son's neck and began to squeeze...weakly she noticed as she finally entered the room.

"Wake up!" Kai bit out willing his hands to squeeze harder, but they wouldn't abide his wishes.

"He can't hear you Kai, surely you know that, give him some time. He'll come around." She said, but Kai merely put his hands on Tala's shoulders and shook him.

"He has to wake up. He took on so many while that illness was eating away at him, and he survived the surgery, he can't be done in by a fucking coma!" Kai shook him, and shook him, but Tala wouldn't wake.

"His body may still be recovering. I'm worried too Kai, and I want nothing more than to shake him as you are doing now, but it won't help. All we can do is wait. When he's ready he'll wake up." Perhaps she was trying to convince herself more than him, but Kai did stop shaking Tala.

She began to pull Kai off the bed, and he resisted, but the resistance died when he took one good look at Tala's figure. Tala was thin, much more so than usual, and paler too, and to Kai he appeared to be a perfect icon of someone in death's grip. It scared Kai so much. After registering the fact that Tala might - never - awaken, Kai just felt dead. He allowed Tala's mother to put him back in the wheelchair, and just sat there staring blankly at his beloved.

Days went by, the days turning into weeks, and the weeks into months. Kai was released from the hospital and returned to school only to be greeted by a revolution. All the rebels had allied themselves with Brooklyn and Garland. Garland wanted Kai's position. He wanted to be a god, and he'd do anything to reach that goal. Kai handed it over without a fight. Brooklyn flashed him a disappointed look but Kai just looked at him and smiled weakly.

"All this power is of no use to me. My life has no meaning without Tala." He said, and took off towards his next class.

Kai would have regretted turning over his position if he had any clue what was going on around him. Brooklyn tried to keep him in check, but Garland became corrupted by his power over everyone quickly, barking orders left and right. In two weeks their school was no longer a school, it was a war zone. The staff and teachers had dwindled to around ten each. They no longer had a nurse, she had quit when Garland came into her office a few days after Kai had forfeited his position, and raped her after beating her within an inch of her life.

The first years were enslaved by their upperclassmen. Brooklyn had given up his power, and luckily was left alone. Garland knew what Brooklyn could be like when pushed too far and he didn't want to go there. It wasn't until most of his respected fighters were hospitalized that Kai really realized how bad the situation had gotten. It needed to stop, he knew that. He had the strength to end it, he just had no reason to fight anymore. Without Tala nothing mattered to him enough for him to fight for it.

So Kai sat at Tala's bedside for nearly four months dying a little more inside each day that passed. He talked to Tala, telling him about everything that happened since he had fallen into the coma. He hoped so strongly that his words would reach Tala, but everyday that hope dimmed further and further. April first came around. Kai had long since figured out what Tala had really meant when he said Kai would would be his April Fool soon.

"Wake up Tala, please...wake up and make me your April Fool." He whispered into his beloved's ear, tears rolling down his cheeks without his notice.

"Kai, my April Fool...dry your tears...you have my love...go get back your power...go take back our school...before there's nothing left. We built it...take it back."

Kai thought he was hallucinating, but when the heart monitor began to beep faster, and then stopped completely, Kai buzzed for help. If there was even a slight chance Tala had woken and chose those as his final words, Kai wasn't going to let him pass on that easily. He ran out of the room and pulled the first doctor he saw back to the room. For an hour he wasn't allowed back in the room, but Tala was stabilized. There was an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, but they assured him Tala would be fine.

"You can't be weak...not if you're gonna be my man Kai Hiwatari. I can't do all the work you know...show Garland the power of a true god." Tala opened his blue eyes, and gave him a look as serious as his words were spoken.

"Stay alive will you? You damn jerk." Kai bit back.

"My illness didn't kill me, that means you'll be stuck with me for quite a while yet. Don't call me a jerk, I could say the same of you, getting totaled by a truck...don't ever scare me like that again!" Tala was trying to yell at him, but all that came out was a strong whisper.

"My thoughts exactly, if you're ever comatose again wake up sooner. I thought you were really going to stay asleep forever." Kai retorted.

"We can argue another time, go now." Tala said, and his eyes closed.

It took Kai a short while to register that Tala had fallen asleep - from exhaustion the nurse had told him. Kai waited until Tala's mother came before he went to take care of what Tala had more or less ordered him to do. One by one Garland's underlings fell unconscious. Unless the opponent was actually a decent fighter Kai always managed to end his fights in one hit, so he made it to Garland's best in under ten minutes. Five battles later Kai was making his way to Garland, covered in blood and scratches, and some minor bruises, a sadistic smile on his face.

"Get your ass out here Garland. I've come to kill you." He said, punching a wall.

It shattered until the next room was visible. The arena...on the outside of the walls of it were carved the initials of former kings and gods. A fitting place for a fight. Garland was waiting in the middle of the arena. Kai smirked at him. "What is this your tenth defeat here?" He asked after breaking as many bones in his body as possible. Garland just laughed.

"What is so funny hm?" Kai picked him up and sent him flying until he collided with the back wall and fell to the floor. Behind him the wall had collapsed partly. Kai's strength was phenomenal.

"You never noticed at all...you never realized that I...love you..."

Garland got to his feet and took a knife out of his pocket. Kai didn't register that Garland had stabbed himself in the heart until it was too late to stop the silver haired teen from stabbing him as well. Kai was crushed by Garland's weight, falling unconscious almost instantly as they both bled out.

A/N: I hope you all enjoy this update and I'll see you next time. Please read and review. Thank you in advance!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: If I owned it it wouldn't be called fan-fiction now would it?

Chapter 10:

Tala stepped into the main office of his school, which was surprisingly quiet. It was the end of the school year. He would find out now if he had made graduation, well if he could get his diploma anyway. Kai was comatose although months had passed since his fight with Garland, and Tala didn't want to leave his side for too long. As soon as he saw an opportunity he asked for both Kai's report card and his own.

"We just made it." He said, not sounding particularly happy.

"This place is going to be very different come September." Brooklyn said, looking over at him when he entered the arena.

"You'll manage something. It's not like you have no allies left." Tala retorted, and went to sit next to him.

"How's Kai?"

"Sleeping as usual. How is Garland's family holding up?"

"As well as can be expected. They're trying to get the government to turn this into a normal school, or something like that."

"Ha, that'll happen, in fifty years maybe."

"I know. I guess this is just karma for giving you and Kai hell when I first came here."

"You were really bad back then, you know?"

"I got worse when you left."

"Oh? What might I ask is that supposed to mean?"

"You can't honestly believe Kai never bed anyone before you. I love him, so I didn't mind being a substitute for you until you finally returned his feelings."

"Are you, trying, to anger me?"

"Not at all. I just figured I'd tell you the truths Kai has not is all."

"I could have reacted with a punch, you are aware of that aren't you?"

"Quite, but neither of us is in a very fighting mood right now, now are we?"

"Good point. Well, if you're going to talk, I'll listen."

"I was supposed to take these secrets to my grave, but since I'm not going to be here much longer, I'd like to leave everything in the open."

"What do you mean you won't be here much longer?"

"I'm moving. My family's quite shaken with the events of this school year. We're moving to the country and I'm getting home-schooled."

"Sounds nice."

"Like hell it does."

"Sorry. Anyway, you had some stuff to tell me?"

"Yes I did. I'm not the only one who Kai has been with, though I am the only male. She should come around the hospital eventually."

"I should kill him in his sleep."

"You couldn't do it. We are the same in that regard. No matter how much we hate him, hurting him, really hurting him anyway, is impossible for us."

"Get on with it, I'm starting to feel like a fight isn't a bad idea."

"It was me, who murdered your precious Hiro."

"Nice to have confirmation on that. What did you do with the body?"

"I burned it. I did exactly what Kai said, as always."

"Sounds to me like Kai's the one who deserves a good punch."

"We can fight if you wish. I won't lose to you Tala."

"Hn. Anything else you'd like to say?"

"Wyatt and Zeo. Those two didn't have to die, Garland and I just wanted to see something moving. We were bad, but neither you, nor Kai, really understood just how bad. Taking orders from you two was a pain in the ass, so we plotted, and plotted, until you two weren't close anymore. Even then I knew Kai loved you. Jealousy doesn't even begin to cover, how much I hated you then."

"I don't put any of that past you, not since you guys wanted me to get that surgery in exchange for Tyson's life. Still, more than half the shit you've done is Kai's fault, as much as it is yours. You can suffer from the guilty conscience that I have no doubt you have. That is punishment enough in my opinion. Then there's the fact that, I'm the one who'll have Kai in the end."

"The kid in that chick's belly says otherwise."

"I will have him, just you wait. I'll be sending you a postcard or something like that in a few years, and Kai and I will be together."

"Whatever you say Tala. For your sakes, I hope you and Kai grow the hell up."

"The law is catching up quickly, I'm aware. We're adults, starting now."

"You'd better not lose to that bitch and her brat."

"I don't intend to."

"Have a nice life Ivanov." Brooklyn said, swinging the door of the arena open.

"You too Masefield." Tala supplied, before they both went their separate ways.

That night Tala took a rental car out for a drive, and ran over his rival and her child. He then went into reverse and forward again a few times. He needed to make sure they were dead after all. Once out of sight he turned to the person next to him, and smiled.

"I wasn't aware you had such criminal intent in you Kenny." He commented, as the car went up in flames.

"You've protected me, as has Kai. I suppose I owe it to you. Just be happy okay? Don't let anything get in your way." Kenny said seriously, as they waited for the bus, just five minutes away from the car that was quickly being charred to a crisp.

Tala nodded, shaking hands with him. Already they could hear sirens, someone had reported the vehicle, but thanks to Kenny's genius no-one was going to find a shred of evidence on that car, and they had a cover story just in case it ever got linked back to them anyway.

A/N: Tenth chapter down. I hope you enjoy. Please tell me what you think of evil Kenny. Read and review please, that's always gonna be appreciated. See ya next update.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Return to chapter 1 for this.

A/N: This story's been bugging me recently. I haven't got a lot left in me for it. I've decided on ending it at twelve chapters. After this its one more chapter guys. I hope you can enjoy it to the end. Thanks very much for the support.

Chapter 11:

When Kai was released from the hospital the last thing he expected was to be rushed to the airport and flown half way across the world, away from Tala. His parents were up to something, he was sure about it. It was no vacation home they'd taken him to, it was a permanent home. His old room was just as he'd left it when he was just three years old. Stuffed animals everywhere, and children's television mascots on the bedding, baby blue walls, and rustic hardwood floors.

"Damn it Tala, why won't you answer me?" Kai growled out.

He'd tried to call Tala two hundred and sixty eight times, but not once did the redhead answer him. Over the course of the two weeks away he'd grown more and more worried.

"He's not going to answer no matter how many times you call son, he is gone." His father said, leaning against the wall by the door to his room.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Kai hissed back.

"Your friend is dead son, there were some side effects to his surgery and his body couldn't keep fighting any longer."

"That's a lie!"

"No Kai it's not. It was in the newspaper this morning."

"Leave me alone."

"Kai, talk to us." His mother spoke up from beside his father.

"Just leave me alone!"

And Kai slammed the door, locking it quickly.

"Don't you think what we're doing is cruel?" Kai's mother asked his father when they had retreated to their own room.

"Not at all. That boy would ruin Kai's life."

With a fake newspaper article as proof, Kai's parents spent the next two years helping their son heal from a pain he didn't need to feel. They did everything they could to keep Tala and Kai out of contact, an easy task with all the money they had at their disposal. Kai finally agreed to date a girl they'd introduced him to. In his mind the thought that his parents knew that Tala was more than a friend to him never quite registered. Kai decided he would date any girl his parents wanted him to.

Every five girls he'd get his parents worked up over, pretending to be interested in her further than just a few dates, and then announcing some kind of flaw in the girl when he'd ask his parents accompany him when he was to propose to said girl. Ten years passed in the blink of an eye it seemed. Kai keeping his system going to keep his parents from getting suspicious. He feared his father would kill him if he found out he was into men.

He finished schooling and took over for his father as was his right, and then it happened. His parents found a woman that Kai couldn't refuse. She was too perfect, even in his eyes. His mother planned every detail of the wedding, right down to the media flowing the event like the dogs they were. Kai felt insulted, but wouldn't let it show. Here he was, the mighty high school god living his life by his parents standards. He was bloody miserable.

Wedding nights should be magical, but for Kai there was no magic. He wasn't a toy his parents could play with, and he decided to show them. Kai poisoned his wife's drink, along with his parents food. He was suspected of having something to do with it of course, but he could act very well, and he did. In eight months he was on a flight back to New York. He didn't know what he would do with his life, but the change of place would be a start he decided.

"Hannah slow down, the flight doesn't leave for another half hour."

Kai never expected to hear that voice again, and nearly fell over when his eyes had locked onto Tala. A girl bumped into him, and before Kai could blink Tala was kneeling in front of him checking the girl, for injury apparently. When Tala looked up all he could do was gasp.

A/N: I'm in a really dark mood nowadays, hm. One more to go. Please read and review. Thank you!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Return to chapter 1 for this.

A/N: Alright last chapter. I'm sorry if the ending isn't to your liking but this is what came out. Thank you again for your support.

Chapter 12:

Kai stared at Tala, and Tala stared back. It was when Hannah latched onto Tala that the redhead snapped out of his stupor. With the blond haired and blue eyed girl in his arms he stood up straight and looked at Kai. Kai just took off without a word. Tala sighed.

"Daddy, who was that man?" Hannah asked.

"Just an old friend princess, a very old friend." Tala replied.

Tala did his best to enjoy the vacation he was taking with his daughter, but he couldn't get Kai off his mind. He hadn't seen or heard from him in years, and then suddenly they're eye to eye and Kai appears to have been staring at a ghost. Feeling somewhat heartless he cut the vacation short pretending he was needed at work. Not even going home from the airport he headed to Kenny's apartment.

"Tala it's two in the morning, what's going on?" Kenny asked, still half asleep.

"Hannah bumped into Kai last weekend when we were leaving on that all expenses paid vacation I got as a gift from my boss. I tried to keep him off my mind, but it's futile. Take care of Hannah for me, please Kenny, I have to talk to Kai." Tala pulled a puppy face at the end, and Kenny could see he was most definitely desperate.

"Fine. Fill me in later." Kenny said, begrudgingly taking Hannah from his arms.

"Thanks, I owe you one." Tala supplied, before heading for the elevator.

Tala searched every place he could imagine Kai going to, even heading to his old home and asking if he was home. It seemed like Kai had disappeared just as quickly as he'd appeared. Tired and annoyed Tala started walking back to Kenny's apartment. His feet carried him to another place entirely though, his school. It had changed a great deal. No longer was there graffiti on the walls. The windows weren't broken. There was no blood in sight and no challenger either.

Tala headed inside, surprised the main doors were already open. He wondered who could possibly be at the school at such an hour. He looked everywhere, eventually heading to the arena. It was used for the drama classes now and had been remodeled, but no amount of remodel could remove the scent of blood completely. Kai was there. For a moment he wondered if a former god of the school could really be called an intruder.

"Kai, why did you run from me at the airport?" He asked, sitting beside him.

"I didn't know what to say to you. I thought you were dead." Kai replied, grabbing his hand in a death grip.

"Funny...I was starting to think that about you." Tala retorted, leaning on him.

"My parents played me for a fool. They made me believe you were dead. They ran interference whenever I tried contacting you and provided false documents and reports of you dying from side effects to your illness. I was stupid, and believed them. On my wedding night, I poisoned my wife and my parents to death. I came back here, not knowing what I'd do with my life. When I saw you, I was shocked. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I ran away."

"Sounds like you've had a fun decade."

"Less than you've had, I'm sure."

"Oh? Would you like to know how I've spent these years?"

"That'd be nice."

"I waited for you to come back, but you just disappeared. I knew you had to be somewhere, but everybody kept saying that I should move on. Eventually I did. I dated a woman six years my senior for about a year and then we got married. She died during childbirth, and well, Hannah and I have been alone ever since."

"Never pegged you as the straight guy." Kai said, clearly amused.

"Yeah, I never thought I'd like a woman either. She was different though. She was like you and Hiro combined. I really loved her Kai." Tala retorted, solemnly.

"Tala, where the hell are we supposed to go from here?" Kai asked after a long, uncomfortable silence.

"Where would you like us to go?" Tala remarked, giving Kai a dirty look.

"Right here's fine with me my little slut." With that Kai laid him out on the floor and straddled him.

"You still haven't got a shred of tact in you." Tala pointed out, as Kai started to undress him.

"Like you care where we fuck." Kai countered, ending all chances of Tala rebuttling by kissing him.

Two hours later Tala remarked while getting dressed. "This is our school Kai, I think we deserve to do as we fucking want here."

Kai laughed at that. "Care to go again?" He asked pervertedly.

Tala shook his head, but didn't make any move to stop Kai when his belt and pants were undone. Life was as it should be, and he was going to enjoy it for as long as he could.

A/N: Finished. The end was more satisfying to me than I originally thought it would be, but still doesn't come close to my original intentions. I hope you enjoy and thank you yet again to all who read and reviewed and will read and review for your support. I love you all.


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